Hat



April 26 1927.

J. J. DESMOND HAT Filed June 17 INVENTOR. Ll fimzs, I]. Dasmmn.

- ATTORNE).

attains a. nnsritonn, or SOUTHINOBWALK, connncrmur.

EAT.

Application filed June 17,1926. seriai'n'o. 116,564.

The present invention relates to improvements in hats, especially stifi straw hats, an object. being to provide a hat of this character having a flexible head conforming portion between the crown and the brim, whereby the hat will readily conform to and comfortably fit the head of the wearer, without the necessity for blocking or reshaping.

It is particularly proposed to provide. a flexible area formed of straw braid of'relatively greater flexibility than that of the crown and brim of the hat, and so constructed and arranged that the exposed'right or finished edges of the braid will be toward the outer edge of the brim, and at the same time will be so secured, by stitching, that gaping open of the overlapped braid is prevented. The hat will therefore maintain its smooth unbroken surface and attractive appearance under all conditions of use, The method of stitching the braid is also adapted to give increased flexibility and strength to thehat structure, and is furthermore such that it will blend into the braided structure in a manner as to be practically invisible.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyin drawings, and this embodiment will be ereinafter more fully de scribed with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims. v

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a straw hat, according to the present embodiment of the invention, a portion of the band bein broken away; I

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a portion of the crown'and the brim, before sizing and pressing;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, after sizing and pressing;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the crown braid, and an adjacent portion of the flexible braid portion; I

Fig; 5 is a dia ammatic' sectional view, enlarged of the exible portion, and adjacent portions of the crown and brim;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the stitchin as employed in the crown and brim; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the stitching as emplo ed in the flexible portion.

Similar re erence characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the straw hat,

according to the present embodiment of the invention, comprises a crown 10, the straw braid oi WhlCll is'arranged and stitched in the usual manner, the stitching 11, for this purpose, being shown as of the invisible sin le thread type. As shown in Figs. 4 and p 6 t e connecting triple strands 11 are at the under surface and the spaced double tacking portions 11 are stitched through the under portion of one winding of the braid and through the overlapped edge of the superimposed winding. The side of the crown is completed in this manner to a point spaced from the brim, and thereupon the flexible portion or area 12 is stitched in, this portion completing the side of the crown to the plane of the brim, and being then con tinued outwardly in flatwise relation to a point calculated as suflicient to provide a flexible head conforming area.

The portion 12 is formed of straw braid of relatively greater flexibility than that of the crown, and. is wound and overlapped in a similar manner, that is, with the right or finished edges downwardly in the crown V and outwardly in the brim. The stitching 13 for securing the braid of the portion 12 is of zigzag single thread type, the double loop strands 13 being atthe under side and the single zig-zag strands 13 being at the upper side of the overlapped braid. This type of stitching is clearly illustrated in Fig. 7. In order to prevent gaping open of the stitched braid, the forward points 13 of the thread are passed through the lower winding of the braid outside of the ed e of the overlapped upper winding, preferab y between the points of the braid edge where a pointed edge braid is employed, the. rearward points 13 being passed through both windings. The overlapped ed e is thus securely closed, and any possi ility of its gaping open, either from flexing, bending, or otherwise forcing the structure out of its natural shape, is entirely prevented. This manner of stitching furthermore reinforces and strengthens the structure of the flexible area, and increases its flexibility through its capacity to give in'all directions.

The first winding of the upper layer of the brim 14 is secured to the edge of the flexible portion 12 by the zigzag stitch 13, and is then completed to the outer edge with the invisible stitching 11. The under layer 15 of the brim is secured to the upper layer at the outer edge, and at a point in subflexible portion 12 a flexible portion 16 is stitched inby the. zig-zag stitches 13 and continued.inwardly to complete the under layer of the brim. The'rightorfinished edges ofthe portion 16- are outwardly toward the outer edge of the brim. The hat is completed by sizing and pressing, as shown in Fig.3, the crown and brim being sized in the usual manner to roduce a relatively stifl hard 'structure,-w ile the flexible portions 12 and 16 are either left unsized, or sized sufliciently j to give them a' proper body, and render them moisture resisting, without destroying their inherent flexibility. f

Obviously any suitable styles of braid may be employed, and the flexible area may be of anydesired dimensions, extending entirely over the crown, or brim, or both. The improved method of securing the edge of the overlapped braid by means of overlyin stitches, the stitches at the same time mm y securing the superimposed windings ofjbraid, provides a straw hat structure of very attractive appearance, extremely flexibio, and at all'times presenting a smooth,

unbroken, non-gaping'surface.

, I have illustrated and described preferredand satisfactoryembodiments of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within'the spirit and scope the'reoi,.as'defined in the appended claims. 0

Having thus described my invention,what I claimand desire to secure by Letters Pat cut is 3 1. In a hat, of straw or the like, a crown, a brim, and a flexiblesection extending into the crown and brim and composed of a circumferentizilly-wound overlapped braid, a

the circumferential stitching for securin to one another, said windings of the brai stitching comprising stitches overlying the top outer finished edge of'the windings and extending into the adjacent underlying windings whereby to avoidgaping between the superposed windings at the right edges. 2. In ahat, of straw or the like, a crown, a brim, and a flexible section extending into the crown and brim and composed of a circumferentially-wound overlapped braid, flexible stitching for binding said windings of the braid together, said flexible stitching comprising stitches overlying the outer finishededge of the windings and extendinginto the adjacent underlyingbraidwindings to avoid gaping of the outer finished ed e, said' stitches extending'in a zig-zag path circumferentially over .the outer finished edge whereby to secure both circumferential and radial relative movement andflexibility in the braid windings of said section.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fair-field, and State of Connecticut, this 15th day of J une, 1926.

' J. DESMOND. 

